The Effect of Nutritional Support on the Disease Progression and Survival in Pediatric Patients with Solid Tumors

Abstract

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death for children; however, appropriate nutritional status can positively affect survival. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent malnutrition risk screening and intensified nutrition support, provided by a professional team, promoted disease progression and survival in pediatric patients with solid tumors. 145 pediatric cancer patients (average age 6.3 ± 5.6 and 6.7 ± 5.4 years) with solid tumors undergoing chemotherapy participated in the study. Two 3-year periods were studied: 2009-2011 and 2012-2014. Patient characteristics and treatment protocols were identical, but in Period 2, with the foundation of our nutrition support team malnutrition risk screening was made mandatory upon every hospital admission. As a result of intensified nutrition support the time from diagnosis to completion of treatment (802 vs. 512 day, p < 0.001) and the need for antimycotic treatment reduced significantly (47.8% vs. 29.1%, p = 0.036). The total percentage of surviving children was 60.3% and 75.0% in Period 1 and 2 respectively. Decrease in weight-for-height percentile during treatment and central nervous system tumors are significant predictors of a less favorable survival. Malnutrition risk screening and intensified nutrition therapy have positive effects on nutritional status and therefore patient survival in pediatric cancer patients.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the members of the nutrition support team and all the members at the 2^nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University for their active participation in this study.

Author Contribution Statement

I declare that all authors approved the manuscript submitted.

Individual contribution is stated below:

Conception and design: NG, KC, ET, GK

Data collection: NG, KC, ET, ZsJ, MG, PH

Analysis and interpretation: NG, KC, ET, KN, GK

Drafting of the manuscript: NG, KN, GK

Revising the manuscript for content: NG, KC, ET, MG, PH, ZsJ, KN, GK.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that no conflict of interest exist in this study.